Garlic Butter Turkey Roast – The Roasted Root

Garlic Butter Turkey Roast is the perfect main dish for serving 4 to 6 people and requires a fraction of the time it takes to roast a whole turkey. Enjoy this moist and tender turkey with your favorite sides for a wholesome meal!

The perfect main dish for serving 4 to 6 people, this easy garlic butter turkey roast recipe is ideal for those who enjoy a turkey centerpiece but don’t need to cook a whole bird.

While I absolutely love making a whole Thanksgiving Turkey to feed my big family and still have plenty of leftovers, we go smaller with my Garlic Butter Boneless Turkey Breast, Garlic Herb Bone-In Turkey Breast, or this turkey roast recipe when a second main entree is involved.

Most grocery stores carry netted turkey roasts year round, so you don’t need to wait for the holiday season to enjoy this succulent event. It is simple enough to prepare on any given weeknight, yet tasty enough for special occasions!

Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this easy turkey roast recipe.

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Turkey Roast:

Fresh Turkey Roast: Pick up a turkey roast with the netting on. Roasts comprised of breast meat are the most typical, but if you find a turkey thigh roast, it can be used too. When using frozen turkey, be sure to thaw completely before proceeding.

Unsalted Butter: In order to create a luscious flavor for the skin and turkey drippings, we need some unsalted butter. The butter helps bind the other ingredients to the roast for a flavorful crispy skin.

Fresh Garlic: Let’s face it, garlic is the flavor maker of the cooking world! You can replace the garlic cloves with 2 teaspoons of garlic powder if you prefer.

Onion Powder: Let’s get some onion flavor in there! Onion powder is the ingredient for the job, as chopping fresh onion finely enough for the butter smear is a hassle. 

Paprika: A very subtle smoky flavor comes from dried paprika. Skip it if you don’t have it on hand.

Sea Salt: Season the garlic butter with plenty of salt and black pepper. Doing so adds flavor to the roast.

Chicken Broth: We need some form of liquid to go into the bottom of the roasting pan. This helps keep the turkey moist during the baking process, as it provides some additional humidity so that the roast doesn’t dry out. Apple cider or apple juice work too, or any kind of broth.

Recipe Customizations:

• If you have fresh herbs like fresh rosemary or fresh thyme on hand, give them a fine chop to make garlic herb butter.
• Add in 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon zest for a zesty approach.

How to Make Garlic Butter Turkey Roast:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the turkey roast from its packaging. Rinse it under cool water in the sink, then pat it dry using paper towels. Place the roast on a roasting pan that comes with a wire rack and a baking dish to collect liquid.

Mix the ingredients for the garlic butter mixture in a small bowl (softened butter, minced garlic, onion powder, paprika, and sea salt) until well combined.

Spread all of this mixture over the whole roast (with the netting on). Note: If the butter isn’t soft enough, the mixture won’t spread easily over the meat.

If your butter seems too hard, microwave it under the ‘soften’ setting so that it doesn’t melt, but becomes adequately soft.

Roast on the center rack of the preheated oven for 25 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature of the roast is 165 degrees F. For me, this took about 2 hours. Note that roasts continue cooking once they are out of the oven, so it is fine to take it out a little early, around 160 degrees F.

Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast to get an accurate temperature read.

Allow the roast to rest for at least 15 minutes covered with aluminum foil before removing the netting, slicing and serving.

Serve with your favorite side dishes! I enjoy roast turkey with my Ginger Orange Cranberry Relish, Healthy Green Bean Casserole, and my Orange Maple Balsamic Roasted Vegetables.

Enjoy it with the pan juices drizzled on top, or use the drippings to make gravy.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Tips for the Best Turkey Roast:

1. For juicy results, dry brine or wet brine the roast for 24 hours before cooking it. To dry brine turkey roast, simply lightly sprinkle the full surface of the roast with sea salt. Place the roast on a large plate and refrigerate uncovered overnight. If you take this approach (or a wet brine), you won’t need to add more salt to the garlic butter mixture. Dry brining or wet brining results in the most tender roasted turkey breast.
2. Keep those drippings that collect at the bottom of the pan! At the end of cooking, there should be some liquid at the bottom of the roasting pan. Use these turkey juices to drizzle over the meat, or use it for gravy.
3. If possible, bring the roast out of the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting to bring it to room temperature. This allows for less cooking time and also helps the roast cook evenly.

The best way to enjoy flavorful turkey in less time without a lot of leftovers, this easy recipe results in juicy turkey breast every time.

Looking for side dishes to serve with turkey roast? Here are some of my personal top picks.

What To Serve With Turkey Roast:

Enjoy this simple main course for your Thanksgiving dinner or any special occasion!